Comments

1

I was there November 8, 2016. Dan Savage gave me free shots. It was a terrible night. Bulldoze the motherfucker already!

2

Sigh. More housing please. Even if it is annoyingly expensive housing.

3

This is a highly sensitive time in this matter. Some Real Estate Developers have destroyed the that make their building historical. A loophole in the process. There needs to be a full stop on any alterations until the review has been finished.

4

The "things" that make their building historically significant.

5

Let them build the next Tower of Babel for all I care. But. MAKE them put a music venue of equal capacity to the Shoebox, with a similar lease deal, on the ground floor. Anyone opposed, because Unfettered Capitalism or whatever, can go royally fuck themselves until they they bleed out.

6

All you crackers more upset about a concert hall than an entire Black community being displaced. Tear the fucker down.

7

I love the showbox and will be distraught to see it leave. The showbox is more important to me than anything across the street from it.

8

It's not over until the Germans invade Pearl Harbor!

9

Landmark status does not mean they have to preserve it as a music venue. It would mainly be the exterior structure. Granted, landmark status might prevent them from making it a tall condo building. But will not preserve it as a venue.

11

Oh for God's sake. It's either the Showbox or housing? And how did the CD get dragged into this?

Save the Showbox. Don't let them do what they did to the poor Music Hall and Orpheum.

12

@11 Exactly. #savetheshowbox

14

Although the Showbox is a fun venue, it's hardly historical. Clubs come and go. The best chance to save it is to tie it up in the Seattle Process as described and hope that the real estate market tanks.

15

Fuck it: tear the motherfucker down. Housing for the well off!! That's what Seattle needs and The Stranger needs more well off people to support it's core advertisers!!

16

Tear it down. You can't bitch about housing affordability and then champion a process that will deny the construction of 442 units of housing plus however much money the construction pays into the city's low income housing fund. A city is not a museum.

17

@16 - it is a common theme for the Stranger as of late. Get that money but complain about the consequences while you're at it (pushing for density; hates the new Cap Hill etc)

18

Onni Group. Not “Omni” Group.

20

@19 I'm hoping they end up moving to Deer Park or Mead Washington. HA HA HA!!!

21

@19 wins the internet for today. Well stated.

22

Except the acts that played there what significance does it have? Anyway it's probably a toxin filled firetrap. Build something better in SODO.

23

I don't totally get it. The Showbox isn't a special venue, they just did a good job booking acts that people wanted to see. This isn't a plan to tear down anything that made the Showbox what it was.

24

Demand higher density until it affects something you like, then whine because a theater reminds you of better days.

It's a damn building. You can still remember it fondly. Memories are nice, but that is all they are.

People need a place to live. Grow up and move forward.

25

Showbox is the best venue in Seattle, best size, best sound, best everything. I'd love to see it recreated in the new building.

26

thank your local amazon employee. by punching them in the face.

27

There was already a court case on this planned development. The developers won. Also no Landmark status for the green tortoise either. Incase you all forgot, this development has already been before the city council and approved. It was on tv and everything. With the usual suspects voting nyet.

Old doesn't equal "historic".

28

Seattle isn't losing it's shit right now. Only a small, statistically insignificant % of the population of Seattle cares if this building stays or goes.

29

Hang in there Erin Doherty, we love you. You too, Sarah.

@23: You're wrong. It's pre-war. It's a cultural asset for the city. The interior is fairly intact. The exterior is fairly intact. There are no other similar historic ballrooms left in the city. Plus I saw Blur there.

There are other places to build this tower and Onni Group knows it. The empty mid-block parcel next to the Deja Vu 1 block north comes to mind. It's owned by Samis (which, for newcomers, controls Sam Israel's properties), and is valued at under half what the Showbox parcel is. Nothing to destroy.

30

Email Sarah Sodt to express your support! It's currently under review.
Sarah.sodt@seattle.gov

31

Sound quality has always been dismal at the showbox. Sounded like being in a shoebox. The best thing to happen would be if the venue was rebuilt in the new building. This time with Outstanding acoustics. It’s the history of the music played here, not the venue itself

32

@27 Aren't you thinking of the building next door?

https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/city/design-review-board-advances-hotel-plans-to-replace-pike-place-market-building/281-534581810

As for the Showbox, the Stranger's NIMBYism on this issue is ridiculous.

33

Save the Showbox!!! I love this place SO... https://www.change.org/p/city-of-seattle-landmarks-preservation-board-make-the-showbox-at-the-market-a-historical-landmark?recruiter=890794142&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial..&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial..

34

For those questioning the Showbox’s historical value, this link provides some back story:

http://www.historylink.org/File/3684

I’m all for housing density, 99% of the time these kinds of projects are worth the sacrifice. Razing one of Seattle’s great musical links to the past for some downtown high rises seems like an exception to the rule.

35

Get out the wrecking ball and tear down the rat trap and let the OWNERS do what they want with their OWN property.

And move the current type of "music" to SF and maybe the rats will follow

36

Obviously we need to insist they build a 100 story mixed income residential tower with a ground floor combined music venue and daycare above that (to provide a sound buffer).

My ex did the Mural next to SAM for the daycare my son went to, by the way. But get rid of surface parking.

37

True, we could just give up, not even bother to try to find a compromise, and become bitter, grumpy “assholes” like #35. If only there was another way...

38

@35: what an old man you are.

39

@10

The correct way to say that is the "Democratic" party.
Why do you hate the English language, you fucking tool?

40

I see plenty of rats under westlake next to brand new buildings, so I don't know why these morons yarn on about rats.

Seattle is not a museum - you don't say! Gee, that's because its a sh*thole that tears down anything historic with zero consideration. Love the amount of developer supporters in this comment section - enjoy the coming crash. Better get out now.

41

It is pretty amusing that anyone believes that the Seattle City Council cares about that place. They haven't lifted one finger to keep any long time establishment from leaving. This is no different. If you left Seattle for 10 or 15 years, and came back to visit, none of your hangouts will be here. Get used to it. That is Seattle's future for better or worse.

42

Gotta love commenters thirsty for another expensive building doing nothing but housing yuppies and trying to hop on the "but housing" bandwagon the second it suddenly suits their interests, namely, shitting on anything interesting. Nobody but the IRS cares about what a boring no-nonsense taxpayer you are.

43

@41 oh boohoo, that is also Seattle's past. Take a picture if you want to freeze something in time, otherwise enjoy what is when it is.

44

Tear it down, and move the Stranger to Everett.

45

I swear I just don't know Seattle, anymore. Can't any building of historical significance be saved anymore? I remember the old Jimi Hendrix mural on 1st Street that got torn down for a high rise. Sad.
@41: I know. I haven't lived in Seattle for over 21 years, but all the change and growth to me is still a shock.

46

I'm surprised Pike Place Market is still intact.

47

The acoustics and sound system are crap and the building hasn’t been maintained. We need more housing density. I would be upset if we were talking about the Paramount but really this is no great loss.

48

Weren't we just hearing a few months ago that new apartment buildings in the city were not being filled so incentives had to be offered? Why keep building?

50

@46: why? it's landmarked. you can look it up. in fact, every landmarked building and neighborhood is online and available for your information.

if anything, the market is enhanced - with the addition on the west side of western connecting to the joe desimone bridge. you should come into town more.

51

The Showbox has far superior sound compared to Showbox Sodo. I have watched so many memorable shows there in the past decade. Tearing it down would be a huge loss for the creative community. Lets build more housing, but lets also keep our venues so that people can enjoy live music somewhere that isn't in a stadium.

52

@30: it is? I thought the LPB said it hadn't been submitted yet.

53

@32, Could be.

54

I love how when we talk about housing in this city there is no talk of ownership. It's all fucking apartments which means that property and thus power is held by those with the means to own entire buildings. I have my problems with post WWII "ownership societies" and renters mean better strikers as they don't have to worry about mortgage notes but I think there are some problems with renter societies without massive protections against the idle rich rentiers.

Also this city is ugly as fuck because it won't stop tearing things up.

55

@50 Max Solomon: Many thanks. I'm grateful to learn that there are indeed, some preserved neighborhoods; Pike Place Market being among them. One day I will brave a lengthier visit to The Emerald City. Now, if we could just do something about the traffic!

56

I saw Danny Barnes play a banjo version of "Come As You Are" ...that alone is enough reason to #SaveTheShowbox!

57

@48: Excellent point, Brent! Thank you for calling that out.


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